Federal Trial Targets Meta Over Alleged Child Harm and $1.4 Trillion Claim

California and three other states have filed a federal lawsuit seeking $1.4 trillion from Meta, arguing the company knowingly designs its platforms to addict children.

Attorneys general from California and three additional states have launched a federal suit demanding $1.4 trillion in damages from Meta, asserting the firm deliberately engineers its apps to addict youth and conceals risks. The trial will open in Oakland, where Meta’s counsel will argue that social-media addiction lacks a formal DSM diagnosis and therefore cannot form the basis of liability. Judges have already signaled that the absence of a diagnostic label does not settle the legal question, leaving the matter for a jury.

Prior state cases in Santa Fe and Los Angeles resulted in verdicts that Meta’s products harmed children, with damages of $375 million and $4.2 million respectively, and a later New Mexico judgment added $567 million for a public-nuisance finding. Experts note that scientific consensus on behavioral addictions lags behind chemical dependencies, complicating the legal debate. The outcome may set a precedent for how tech companies are held accountable for alleged harms to minors. Both the financial stakes and the broader regulatory implications make the case a focal point for future tech litigation.